Better Luck Next Time

Dear Car Thief,

Thank you for only making it three blocks.

Thank you for not leaving the car seat on the side of the road. 

We have our car back now.

We hope you like stripes and mashed food.

Rob, Erika and Frances

Frankie's First Christmas

So much chocolate. So many cookies. And so so many happy hearts and bellies. We had a warm and lively Christmas weekend brimming over with family and festive feasts. 

On Christmas Eve, Frankie's Nanna and Granddad hosted a lovely party which for the first time in a long time was attended by a tiny pack of babies - four of them under two - all giggling and teetering about like a little gang of cute. It is going to be such a treat to watch them all grow up together and grow into their already great big personalities. 

As I tucked the bug into bed that night, and contemplated her many future Christmas mornings, it made me a little sad to think of her rushing downstairs all by herself without a little brother or sister pitter-pattering after her, both nearly done in by the anticipation of seeing what Santa has left for them. Although we've talked about having another little bee down the road, the bug's first Christmas really helped me to appreciate how much life she'd be missing out on without someone someday to share all of her excitement and new toys with. 

Christmas day was everything we were hoping it would be. After waking up at five in the morning for the first time in a long time, our little elf fell back asleep until ten – probably the only time that will ever happen on Christmas morning. We headed downstairs and opened everything Santa had placed under the tree taking a little break between each present so she could see how it fit in her mouth and how it would do for chewing. After a quick clean up of both wrapping paper and baby we headed out to a delicious Christmas Dinner topped off with real plum pudding (dear plum pudding, where have you been all my life) 

On Sunday night we wound down from all of the holiday excitement with another long quiet Christmas lights and peppermint tea walk. Frances fell asleep early on and stayed snuggled to my chest as we crossed town and returned making it all the more impossible not to be taken by the incredible love and light and richness in our lives.

Christmas Eve Baby 

Christmas Eve Pod

(Photo by Nanna) 

She's just learned to clap and finds it so entertaining! 

You clap, she claps, you clap, she claps, you clap ... wash, rinse, repeat. 

Brightly coloured presents as far as the eye could see and these woven coasters were the most popular toys in the room. 

Christmas morning! Something for my mouth? Oh you shouldn't have. 

Little Red (Napkin Head) Riding Hood at Christmas Dinner.

Tasting the pretty storage stools from Aunt Beth 

Testing out the perfect winter sleigh from Nanna and Granddad

Frank's Wish List

1. A bag of bags

2. Anything you are eating

3. The remote control

4. Being allowed to pull the kitty's fur

5. Not ever having to wear socks

6. No more tummy time

Eaton Santa Clause Parade 1930, Toronto 

(Archives of Ontario)

Sigh

Dear Grampy

Dear Grampy,

I was so happy to hear that it was your birthday.

I was even happier to hear
that I'll be seeing you in just one month.

Happiest of Birthdays!

Love Frances

Twins

Look mum! Dad did my hair!

Mama Brain

Even though we’re all still sleeping better (oh thank god we’re all still sleeping better) I continue to suffer from mama brain. 

Last night I took a glass of water, a multivitamin and a fish oil capsule with me upstairs. Once I was settled I scooped up two pill-sized items and popped them in my mouth. A little while later a small pink pill sitting on the night table jarred me out of my day dream. If the pink pill – the multivitamin – was still on the night table what did I swallow with the fish oil – a pen lid, an aquarium pebble, a piece of my watch? 

Naturally, my mind flashed to an emergency room full of doctors trying to figure out what to administer to reverse what I had administered. I still have no idea what it was but am happy to report no noticeable side effects.

Holiday Ambitions: 

1. Make chocolates and salted caramels.

2. Host a holiday party

3. Make our stockings

4. Design and have holiday cards printed

5. Make three Christmas presents

6. Prepare a Feast of Seven Fishes 

7. Make tree ornaments

Holiday Reality:

1. Make salted caramels

2. Make our stockings

3. Design and have holiday cards printed

4. Make one and a half Christmas presents

I’m happy with this compromise although only numbers three and four are actually behind me. With R out at the new place and me busy with never napping baby, the planning of holiday parties and seafood feasts wasn’t feeling nearly as festive as it should. But look out fishies – next year it’s on.

Here Comes Santa Claus

Given her baby discomfort with rooms full of people and her dislike of all men other than her da, we went in expecting the always-classic Santa's knee wail.

Not only did she not wail but check out that grin - she is taking this naughty or nice business very seriously. Actually, it all happened so fast (plunk down - make smile  - snap). I don't think she had any idea anyone was behind her ... well hello there softer than usual bumbo...  

To Meat or Not to Meat

I’m on the brink of bewilderment in the baby food department. Not making it – that’s fun and easy or feeding Frank – she’s keen. 

Looking through baby food books and websites I’ve come across all of the following: start baby with meat at six months because by six months their iron stores have been depleted, don’t give your baby meat before eight months unless advised by your baby’s pediatrician, allow three to five days to introduce each new food to make sure there are no allergies or sensitivities, you don’t need to wait three to five days when introducing a new food since allergies and sensitivities will manifest immediately, avoid egg whites, peanuts and dairy before one year of age, introducing potential allergens later does not prevent food allergies. I’m not kidding. When it comes to how much she should be eating I’ve found everything from two tablespoons to twelve tablespoons of food a day. 

In the face of all this I’m trying to keep in mind that almost all of her nutrition still comes from breast milk, that her infant cereal is iron fortified and according to the nutrition label provides 100% of her DRI of iron, and that the other foods we introduce at this point are mostly to help her develop an affection for different tastes and textures (which is super important) and not necessarily about her nutritional needs. All of this helps me to feel less overwhelmed. 

I did find one website that was really comprehensive in its recipes and feeding schedules: www.wholesomebabyfood.com. Of course some of its guidelines still contradict those offered by other sites but nonetheless I think it will be a staple in the months to come.

First Annual Northend Christmas Lights Walk

Blurry Before Walk Shot

This place is festive headquarters. Their halloween display was so dense they had to put the giant blow-up black cat on their car. Full points for commitment.

A quaint and crisp Christmas

The End

Pit Crew

    Pulled over for a quick saucer tune-up

Fun Facts Friday: Holiday Edition

1. Next to Thanksgiving, Christmas is my favourite holiday.

2. Last year I ate three boxes of clementines all by myself.

3. I could listen to Christmas music all year long. This is an inherited trait.

4. I’m pretty ambivalent about Christmas Day. It’s the lead up to it that I wish latest twice as long.

5. Egg nog makes me gag.

6. When I was eight my brother got a hockey net for Christmas. I snuck downstairs in the middle of the night and thought it was Santa’s porthole.

7. Optimal cranberry sauce to turkey ratio (2:1)

8. Busy malls don’t really bother me.

9. I have a really hard time not telling people what I’ve found for them for Christmas.

10. This will be my first Christmas not at “home” but in our new home. This is happy-sad.

Things I said I’d never do ...

1. Baby talk – I still try to keep this to a minimum (since it does sound absurd and doesn’t do her any good) but there’s something about itty bitty babies that makes me want to limit my consonants. 

2. Tip toe around a sleeping baby – Ha! Not only will I tip toe around this sleeping baby but I’ll make you tip toe too and will probably ask you to slow your breathing.

Do You See What I See?

Her bangs were getting a bit long and so I thought I'd trim them. Easy, right? First, she hated me coming towards her with the scissors (no doubt) and then this. 

Poor bug. Not nearly as easy as I thought it would be. Better that I learn my stylist limitations now, though, than right before her first grade photo.

If I brush it to the side its not quite so Lloyd Christmas.

Cat Soup

This is Frank in the morning. After sleeping nine hours in a row without waking up. Apparently its her new thing.

At the height of our exasperation a few weeks ago, we decided to move her into her own room in her own bed as part of a new get-some-order-back-into-our-lives strategy. I was nervous and uncertain of whether I had it in me to let her cry for five minutes and then ten and so on until she learned how to fall back to sleep. The first night she was sleeping by 10:30pm and at 4:30am I couldn't take it any more and burst into her room waking her up instantly. There was much crying and only a few brief periods of sleep before we all gave up and got up at 5:30. 

The next night I didn't go in. I let her sleep and she slept for nine hours. Convinced it was a fluke, I had no more expectations on the second night than I did on the first. But she did it again and again and here we are almost three weeks later all getting our sleep like normal humans.

There was a passing reference in one of the sleep books to light sleeping babies: babies that didn't settle in for a good night's sleep until they were out out mum and dad's bed and room. At the time, with us being up so often and this sounding a little too easy, I figured its success was about as likely as the cat making dinner. I guess I should go see if Herr Flick has found the measuring cups.

Oh Christmas Tree

Our tree is up and holiday smells are officially in the air. No pictures of the event itself this year since, moving as slowly as possible, it still only took about five minutes to decorate. It looks beautiful though. So beautiful. 

The fur children were intrigued with the new addition and all the commotion but there have been no attempts yet to race to the top. I think its because we picked an extra prickly one for just this reason.  

Rise and Shine

I have been eating the same breakfast everyday for four months. And every morning when I get up I can't wait to get it in my belly. I tried to think of another food I could eat everyday for a third of a year but couldn't. Except maybe for dark chocolate with orange pieces. 

This yummy morning monotony has evolved out of an attempt to cut out the waterfall of maple syrup I used to eat on my oatmeal. Here it is!

1/2 Cup Grains: 1/3 rolled oats, 1/3 rye flakes and 1/3 spelt flakes. I get all of these at our bulk store for a fraction of the cost of a bag of quaker at the grocery and then mix them together. Spelt flakes stay much chewier when cooked and give the final product lots of texture. Bonus: they have way more fiber and are much easier to digest than regular rolled oats (160 calories)

1/3 Cup of Soy Milk and 1/3 Cup of Water: pour over cereal and cook until absorbed. The soy milk is the caramilk secret of this recipe. Soy milk has all the nutrition of 2% but a quarter of the calories. Its creamy and has a slight nutty flavour too. I probably couldn't drink a glass of it on its own but I'll also never go back to anything else in my oatmeal, smoothies and coffee. I like my finished product on the chewy side - if you like it a little mushier up the soy milk and water (30 calories)

1 Banana - sliced on top of cooked cereal (75 calories)

1 Cup Frozen Berries - thawed and poured on top of cooked cereal (75 calories)

1 Tbsp of Cinnamon - mixed into cooked cereal (you can tone this done of course but it really helps to replace the maple syrup or sugar) (0 calories)

1 Tbsp of Flax Meal - for a boost of the omegas! I keep this in the freezer to keep it fresh and love that I don't have to grind it myself - such a tedious job - but you could just as easily use whole flax (40 calories)  

My other calling was not a food photographer but you get the idea